Repeating magazine rifle with rotatable and forwardly movable barrel



1962 A. MERKEL 3,020,662

REPEATING MAGAZINE RIFLE WITH ROTATABLE AND FORWARDLY MOVABLE BARREL Filed Jan. 9, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Adam Merke/ 1N VEN TOR.

Feb. 13, 1962 A. MERKEL 3,020,662

REPEATING MAGAZINE RIFLE WITH ROTATABLE AND FORWARDLY MOVABLE BARREL Filed Jan. 9, 1959 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Y AK\ mu \\\\\\\\\\\xy I30 37 53 195 Fig. /0 Adam Menre/ I93 [9/ 1NI iENTOR.

BY I90 1M PM 3,02%,662 Patented Feb. 13, 1962 Free 3,020,662 REPEATING MAGAZINE RIFLE WITH ROTAT- ABLE AND FORWARDLY MOVABLE BARREL Adam Merkel, 16 Fraunauses Wiebelsbach, Kreis Dieburg (fidenwald), Hessen, Germany Filed Jan. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 785,923 3 Claims. (Cl. 42-41) This invention relates to repeating rifles, especially to rifles provided with a box magazine, and it has for its primary object to produce a new and improved type of firearm especially suitable for hunting.

One of the main objects of the invention consists in providing a hunting rifle of the shortest possible over-all length. A further main object of the invention consists in providing a rifle in which the breech lock is not movable but is fixed, while the barrel is movable and is moved towards the breech bolt or breech lock and securely locked thereto.

A further main object of the invention consists in providing a rifle having an auxiliary or pistol butt member around which the hand closes and which is provided with a slidable cocking member operated by the closing of the three last fingers of the hand, while the index finger is on the trigger. The latter is arranged infront of the auxiliary or pistol butt. The cocking piece cocking the trigger and firing mechanism and making it ready for firing is movable within said auxiliary or pistol butt.

Another -m-ain object of the invention consists in the fact that the entire sear and trigger mechanism as well as the ejector are carried in a butt section of the stock which is separable from the section carrying the breech bolt and barrel section of the rifle and is hinged thereto, the movement around the hinge exposing the entire mechanism from above for inspection and repair.

A further main object of the invention consists in providing a rifle of the type mentioned with a sear and trigger mechanism to be moved by the cocking piece and the trigger, which, upon movement of the former, moves the parts of the mechanism including the firing pin into their position of readiness for firing, in which position the parts of the sear and trigger mechanism and of the firing pin actuating mechanism are in such a position that upon pulling of the trigger, the gun may be fired.

A further object of the invention consists in an ejector mechanism, the spring of which is simultaneously also active as a returning spring for both main parts of the sear and trigger mechanism.

Further objects of the invention are of a more specific character and will preferably be explained in connection with the detailed specification.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing by way of example. It is, however, to be understood that the drawing essentially shows one embodiment of the invention which has been selected in order to explain the principle of the invention and the best mode of applying the same. It will be clear that many members, organs and parts may be arranged differently so that a departure from the specific embodiment shown is not necessarily a departure from the essence of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational side view of the rifle in position for cocking and firing.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational back view of the rifle, in which view the stock plate at the end of the butt section is shown as having been turned around.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational side view of the rifle shown in a position in which the butt section is lowered, the barrel being in its forward position and the loading and ejection opening of the receiver being open.

FIGURE 4 is an elevational sectional view of the rear portion of the rifle when cocked, with all the parts in position for firing a cartridge which has been inserted into the breech portion of the barrel, the section being taken along the median plane of the rifle.

FIGURE 5 is a similar sectional and elevational view of the rifle, the section being again taken along the median plane and the parts being shown in the position in which they are after pulling the trigger in order to produce an explosion of the cartridge.

FIGURE 6 is an elevational cross-sectional view of the rifle when in the position shown in FIGURE 4, the section being taken along the line 66 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional elevational view of the rear portion of the rifle showing the same in a position in which, after the forward movement of the gun in order to eject the cartridge, a new cartridge is picked up from the magazine to be inserted into the breech portion of the barrel.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional plan view, the section being taken along the line 88 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 9 is another sectional plan view through the rear portion of the gun, the section being taken along line 99 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of an intermediate angular spring pressure plate.

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of the ejector. 9

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of the sear plate or sear arm connected with the cocking piece.

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of the trigger arm which is operated by the trigger.

FIGURE 14 is a view of the barrel from below showing the groove 212 in which the lug 202 of the ejector member slides and the curved slot for the lug at the end of said groove and further showing the locking slot into which the lug 193 of member enters in order to prevent automatic cocking or firing in any intermediae position of the barrel which does not correspond to the correct firing position of the barrel.

The short stock repeating rifle according to the invention is based on the principle of moving the barrel within a quasi stationary receiver, imparting to it a longitudinal and a rotary movement relatively to the receiver by means of a handle. The longitudinal movement of the barrel brings a new cartridge into position from a magazine which is in an elevated position and depresses the magazine again, and a rotational movement of the barrel locks the barrel against the breech bolt and the receiver, thus leaving the rifle in readiness for cocking and firing.

After firing of the rifle, a forward movement of the barrel preceded by a rotating movement produced by the upturning of the handle unlocks the breech bolt, and unlocks the barrel from the receiver; it also removes the spent cartridge from the barrel, ejecting it through an ejector opening which is freed by this forward movement. Further, according to another principle of the invention, the rear stock portion of the rifle and all its annexed parts including sear and trigger mechanism, the ejector, etc. are separated from the barrel and the breech bolt by a rotary or swinging movement around a hinge, thus making these mechanisms accessible from above and permitting cleaning, oiling, adjusting and other operations, while leaving the firing mechanism in its position.

In FIGURES l, 2, and 3 a high power, short stock repeating rifle according to the invention is illustrated in the two positions which have been described above.

As seen from these figures, the rifle comprises the combined receiver and barrel structure 20 mounted on and secured to the front portion of the stock 27, while the rear portion of the stock, generally designated by 26, comprises the butt section proper 19 and the auxiliary or pistol butt 18 with a cooking piece 122 and trigger 100, the entire rear portion of the stock being hinged to the front portion by means of the pivot 30. The butt section 19 is hollow and contains a sear and trigger mechanism, an ejector mechanism, and other parts to be described. This rear stock portion 26, especially the butt section 19, contains practically the entire mechanism with the exception of the firing pin mechanism, which feature makes it possible to considerably shorten the total length of the high power rifle.

While the soar and trigger mechanism as well as the ejector mechanism are housed in the hinged portion 26,

they must nevertheless cooperate with the firing mecha-v nism which is associated with the receiver, and therefore means are provided for firmly and securely attaching the hinged butt section 19 to the combined receiver and barrel section 20 so that the parts housed in the hollow butt section will always engage these parts that are housed in the receiver-barrel section with greatest precision when these two sections are locked to each other;

The combined receiver andbarrel'section 20, which is best seen in FIGURES 1 and 3, consists of the receiver proper 21 which terminates in the rear in a breech bolt and a bracket or breech bolt locking piece 24 closed on the rear by a breech bolt locking nut 25. The receiver 21 is provided with a loading and ejector opening 23 which is closed when the barrel 22 is moved into the position in which it is locked to the breech bolt. Such movement is imparted to the barrel by means of the handle 80 which maybe provided at its end with a ball 81, which handle, as shown in FIGURESl and 3, may be used to move the barrel longitudinally and to impart to it a rotational movement when it has reached its rearmost position. The combined receiver and barrel section 20 as above mentioned is secured to the front portion of the stock by means of a transverse bolt 28. It

also carries the hinge pin 30 around which the rear stock portion 26 may swing.

For attaching the rear stock portion, especially the butt section, firmly and securely to the barrel section in such a position that the mechanisms contained in the first-named section may always cooperate with those of the second section, the butt section carries at its end, applied against the shoulder of the operator, a stock plate 29 provided with a central pivot 32 (FIGURES 4, and 7) which is firmly held in a suitable cavity 33 of the transverse butt wall system. The stock plate 29 will be rotated around said pivot. For securing it and the entire butt section to the receiver-barrel section 20, the upper portion of the stock plate 29 is provided with an arcuate groove 35 running transversely across its upper portion engaging an arcuate ledge 36 protruding from the rear surface of the breech bolt lock nut 25.

The butt section 26 consists of a system of solid transverse walls surrounding a number of cavities and recesses which are closed laterally by butt plates 37, preferably made of wood. They are secured to the butt sections by means of the transverse screw bolts 63 and 64.

When turning the stock plate 29 around the pivot 32, the arcuate groove 35 is disengaged from the ledge 36 and the butt section can drop, turning around the hinge pivot 30. When the arcuate ledge 36, however, engages the groove 35, the butt section is firmly held in a precisely defined position. The length of the arcuate ledge and the arcuate shape prevent any accidental disengagement once these two members have been locked.

As already stated, the butt section is provided with a number of cavities and recesses, of which the uppermost 38 houses the sear and trigger mechanism, described below. In the rear part of the butt section, a further cavity 39 is provided which opens towards the stock plate 29 which, in front of this opening, is provided with a window 41. This window 41 is closed by a cover plate 42 which may be swung around a hinge pin 43. The cover plate may be provided with a suitable tooth or projection at its top permitting to flip it open with one finger. By inserting the thumb into the opening 41 after the cover In the center of the butt section, a central slot-like cav ity is provided for housing the cartridge magazine 44. This cavity goes through but is closed at the bottom by a hinged bottom cover plate 48 which may be moved downwardly around a pivot 46 and which is held in its place at its end by means of a member 47.

The cartridge magazine 44 is of the elongated type holding a certain number of cartridges 50in a stack, which cartridges are under the pressure of a spring arranged within the magazine. The spring presses on a plate with depending flanges which guides the plate within the magazine. The plate may also be guided by small lugs pro jecting from the flanged plate and guided in a recess in the interior of the magazine.

As customary, the cartridgesare held in the magazine by means ofa leaf spring 53 arranged on the outside, the end of which is secured to the magazine, for instance, by passing it through two slots of the same or the like. The upper end of thespring 53, as seen in FIGURE 9, reaches around the uppermost cartridge of the magazine in order to hold it in its place and preventing the uppermost car tridge from being pushed out by the spring in the interior of the magazine.

The upper edge of the magazine 44 is stepped. as seen at 55 and 56 with an inclined portion 57 joining the two stepped portions 55 and 56. As will be described below, the magazine when urged upwardly by the spring 45 brings the uppermost cartridge within reach of the barrel. The lower one of the. two stepped portions 56 is aligned with the barrel in this position and the upper one'of the stepped portions '55 projects into the space to be occupied by the barrel when the latter is slid into its rear position.

Thus, when the barrel is moved rearwardly during .an operation which will. be described below, the magazine is depressed as soon as the barrel is moved over the incline 57 and over the portion 56, pressing down the leaf spring 45; therefore, when the barrel is finally locked, the magazine is depressed and is held in its lower position with the spring 45 depressed, as shown in FIGURE 4. When the barrel is again moved forward after firing, the magazine returns to its upper position, thus bringing the uppermost cartridge, which is urged upwardly by the spring within the magazine, again into a position in which it will be picked up by the barrel upon its rearward movement.

The magazine is inserted into the cavity 40 from below by disengaging the bottom cover 48 to free the lower entrance to the central cavity 40 in the butt section. However, once the magazine has been inserted, it may be loaded again from above through the loading and ejector opening 23. Returning now to the description of the receiver and barrel assembly and its breech bolt locking mechanism, it will be seen, special reference being made to FIGURE 6, that the receiver 21 forms a sleeve of essentially half cylindrical shape with a flat bottom and with inner guiding surfaces 71 and 72 (FIGURE 7) for the barrel 22 and with an ejection opening 23 through which the operating handle 80, which forms part of'the barrel 22, projects. As already above mentioned, the sleeve-like receiver 21 is fixed to the stock by means of the bolt 28. The barrel 22 which is movable Within the receiver is stepped as indicated at 79 and its rear or breech end 82 is of a somewhat larger diameter and is provided with an enlarged bore 86 receiving the breech bolt and having spaced locking ribs or projections 87 and 88 which project inwardly. A pair of such locking ribs or projections are arranged, each occupying only an arc smaller than 180 and preferably not exceeding 90". Adjacent to this breech bolt receiving end, a smooth cartridge receiving bore 85 holds the cartridge when in firing position. Further, the stepped end portion 82 is also provided with outwardly projecting spaced locking ribs 90 and 91 arranged in a manner somewhat similar to the inwardly projecting ribs and likewise covering an are not exceeding 90.

. The barrel in its firing position is held firmly within the receiver in a manner which will be more fully described below.

The inner bore of the sleeve-like receiver is provided with a stepped portion 89 which forms an abutment for the step 79 of the barrel when the barrel is moved forwardly. As the sleeve-like receiver may surround the barrel along the greater part of its length or along its entire length, it may be provided with guiding surfaces along its inside. To permit the movement of the barrel within the receiver, notwithstanding the outwardly projecting ribs 90, 91, longitudinal recesses 92 are provided within which the ribs 90, 91 may slide.

The rear end of the receiver is formed by the breech bolt locking member which carries the breech locking bolt 95. The breech bolt projects from the bracket member 24 which is partly cylindrical, but which is provided with an opening or slot 111 at the bottom. Its rear end is threaded as shown at 101 and the threaded portion engages corresponding threads in the breech locking nut 25 which has already been described.

Within the hollow bracket portion 24 and hollow interior of the breech bolt 35, the firing pin assembly is arranged.

The breech bolt 95 is axially aligned with the barrel and is provided with a firing pin channel 115 in the center. This member fits into the enlarged portion of the bore 85 of the barrel when the latter is drawn rearwardly. It carries two pairs of spaced ribs 93 and 94, each rib arranged along an are which does not exceed 90.

Each pair of ribs 93 and 94, respectively is arranged in the same transverse plane and the spacing of the ribs 93 and 94, as well as the spacing of the ribs 94 from the side wall of the bracket member 24, is such that the ribs 87 and 88 on the inside of the bore 86 will exactly fit these spaces.

In addition, a pair of ribs 97 projecting inwardly from the receiver wall (FIGURE 3) is arranged which are also arcuate and of such width that the pair of ribs 97 fits into the space between the ribs 90 and 91 in the barrel, the distance between the ribs 90 and 91 at the end of the barrel and between the ribs 97 being such that when the barrel has been completely withdrawn rearwardly and abuts against the edge of the bracket member 24, the ribs 97 are aligned with the space between the locking ribs 90, 91, and the ribs 93 and 94 are aligned with the space between the ribs 94 and between ribs 94 and the side wall of member 24, respectively. A rotational movement of the barrel by means of the handle 80 will thus produce an engagement of the ribs on the barrel with the spaces between the ribs and between the ribs and the bracket member side wall, respectively.

The firing pin assembly held in the interior of the cylindrical bracket member 24 and of the breech bolt member consists of a plunger 106 adapted to move within a cylindrical cavity in the breech bolt member 95. The plunger carries a firing pin 105 which moves against a cushioning spring 110 which is disposed in said cavity and surrounds the firing pin. When the plunger and the firing pin move forward under the influence of the firing pin spring, this spring 110 is compressed, cushioning the movement of the firing pin assembly.

The firing pin plunger 106 ends in a cylindrical bowlshaped firing plunger head 107 which is guided within the cylindrical hollow interior of the bracket member 24 and which is provided with a nose piece 120 which reaches downwardly through the open slotted portion 111 of the bracket member 24. By means of this nose piece 120, the firing pin is held in its position of readiness.

Between the bowl-shaped head of the plunger 107 and the lock nut 25, the firing pin springs 108 and 109 are inserted. They may be coil springs coiled in different directions and they are preferably centered by means of a boss 113 projecting from the inside of the lock nut 25.

Normally, as explained below, the firing pin assembly is held in position of readiness for firing in the position illustrated in FIGURE 4. To bring a cartridge into position for being exploded by a firing pin, the barrel has of course first to be pulled rearwardly by means of the operating handle 80, and as the magazine is in its highest position when the barrel is in its forward position, pulling back of the barrel within the receiver by means of the handle first makes the barrel slide over the edge 56 of the magazine which holds the uppermost cartridge in the box magazine 44. The enlarged bore 86, which is preferably provided with a specially inclined surface 99 machined into it, picks up the upper most cartridge during the rearward movement of the barrel, which cartridge is then pushed into the correct position within the barrel. FIGURE 7 shows the parts in the position in which the rearwardly directed movement of the barrel is started and has progressed to the point at which the picking up of the uppermost cartridge 50 in the magazine 44 takes place.

During the continued rearward movement of the barrel by means of the operating handle 80, the latter is finally pulled back completely and, at the end of the longitudinal movement, is rotated or moved downwardly through an angle of over During the longitudinal movement, the locking ribs on the barrel are brought into their correct position for locking and they are actually locked during said rotational movement, bringing the ribs on the barrel into engagement with the ribs 93, 94, and 97, respectively, on the breech bolt locking member of the receiver. The engagement of the ribs shown in FIG- URES 4 and 5 locks the barrel firmly in its position with a cartridge placed in the bore 85, the cartridge bottom being applied against the end face of the breech bolt member and the central firing channel 115 being aligned with the center of the cartridge. In this position the parts which have been above mentioned are now ready for cocking and firing.

It will be noted that the box magazine 44 has been pressed downwardly during the movement of the barrel and is in the position shown in FIGURES 4 and 5'. The interior spring of the magazine brings another cartridge into the uppermost position.

The sear and trigger mechanism for firing the gun is housed in the upper cavity 38 of the butt section of the rear stock portion which is hinged to the front stock portion by means of the hinge pin 30. The rear stock portion, in addition to the butt section 26, also comprises the auxiliary or pistol butt section separated from the main butt section 26 by means of the thumb opening 126 and the trigger 100, trigger guard 121 and cocking member 122 which is movably held within the auxiliary or pistol butt section 125. Between the auxiliary butt portion 125 and the butt section 36, the operator may insert his thumb. The cocking piece 122 is provided withfinger depressions 127 for other fingers of the hand so that the hand of the operator can practically close around the auxiliary or pistol butt 125 and the cocking piece 122, the index finger of the hand being inserted in front of the trigger, while the other fingers are laid into the depressions 127 provided in the cocking piece 122.

The cocking piece 122 is slidable within the channelshaped auxiliary or pistol butt section 125 and is preferably guided during its movement by the side and end walls of the member 125, 128. Part of the trigger guard indicated at 123 may be attached to the cocking piece and move with the same.

The cocking piece 122 is connected by means of a transverse pivot pin 129 with a sear arm 130 oi the scar and trigger mechanism which is best shown in FIGURE 12 and which is provided with two aligned centrally located heads which are both channel-shaped in cross-section, the head 131 located on the front side of the mechanism being U-shaped in cross-section and carrying near its outer end a pivot pin 129 to which the cocking piece 122 is attached. Between the head 131 at thefront end of the trigger mechanism and the head 132 on the rear end of the mechanism, a lateral arm piece 133, 134 is arranged which is stepped at 136. The piece 133 which is nearer to the forward end is provided with a vertical recess 135 for a purpose mentioned below. The lateral arm pieces 133 and 134 are joined to the two heads by means of shoulders 143, 144, the lateral position of the arm being necessary in order to pass along the box magazine 44.

The rear head 132 of the channel-shaped sear arm is provided with a square or rectangular opening 140 on its top while its side walls are provided with bores .141 and 142 which form bearings for pivot pins.

Within the channel-shaped sear arm 130, the trigger arm 150 (FIG. 13) is arranged, which is provided with two centrally located end pieces or heads 151 and 152 which are joined by means of a laterally projecting stepped arm consisting of two sections 153 and 154 joined by the step 155. The head 151 in the front portion of the trigger arm is forked at 159, the prongs of the fork being provided with bores 146 for the pivot pin 145, by means of which the trigger arm is attached, to the trigger 100.

The heads or end pieces 151 and 152 are joined to the lateral arm by means of the transverse connections 156 and 157 which form shoulders, arranged at right angles tosaid heads. A recess 158 is provided near the stepped portion 155 in section 153 of the arm, and this recess is aligned with the recess 135 of said sear arm. The head 152 at the rear end of the trigger arm is of angular shape and consists of two sections 161 and 162, the former being angularly inclined toward the arm 154 and carrying the other section 162 which is again parallel with the trigger arm but on a lower level. This lastnamed section 162 has a projecting tongue 163 provided with a bore 164 for a pivot pin, which will be described below. j

The sear arm, and the trigger arm are connected at their rear ends by means of the two. sear members 170, 175 which are best seen in FIGURES 4, and 7. The scar members are connected with each other by means of a knee joint. The sear member 170 has the shape of a bellcrank lever and is pivotally mounted within the channelshaped head 132 of the sear arm by means of a pivot pin 171 held in the bores 142 of the sear arm head 132. One

of the arms 172 of the bellcrank is forked and between the prongs of the fork the tongue 163 is inserted and is pivoted to the forked arm by means of the pivot pin 173 which passes through the bore 164 of the trigger arm.

The other arm 174 of the bellcrank lever is provided at' its end with a semi-cylindrical ridge or ledge 176 which engages a similar shaped groove 177 at the end of the sear member 175. The latter has the shape of a twoarmed lever, one arm of which carries the groove 177 above mentioned, engaging in the ledge 176, and this member is also provided with a retaining stop or nose 180 engaging the stop 120 of the bowl-shaped base 107 of the firing pin plunger 106. This stop or nose 180 thus holds the firing pin plunger in its place in the normal posi-.

tion of the parts up to the moment-when the trigger is pulled and the rifle is fired.

The other arm 179 of the sear member 175 is provided with a cavity 181 holding a return spring 182 which is applied against the underside of the channel-shaped head 132 of the sear arm 130. The two-armed sear member is fulcrumed on the pivot pin which, in its turn, is held within the bores 141 of the rear sear arm head 132.

It will be noted that the knee joint 176, 177 of the two sear members 170, 175 is arranged below the opening 140 of the head 132 of the sear arm 130 and that the sto 180 thus projects into the opening 140 while, on the other hand, the nose likewise projects into the said opening and is therefore engaged by the stop 180 of the sear member 175.

The scar arm and the trigger arm which are arranged one within the other are both under the influence of a coil spring 185 which is applied against the angular spring holder 190. The spring holder substantially extends longitudinally along the lateral arm piece 133 but has angulated to it a plate 191 at right angles thereto which is applied against the rear end of the head 131 of the sear arm. The latter may be somewhat offset in order to form and seat the said angular plate 191.

The projection 192 may enter into a suitable cavity in the sear arm head 131.

From the longitudinal section of said angulated spring plate an upwardly directed lug 193 and a downwardly directed lug 194 project. The lug 193 fits into the recess 135 of the sear arm and the downwardly projecting extension 194 of the lug fits into the recess 158 of the trigger arm 150. The angulated plate thus joins the two members above mentioned, while the angulated plate 191 fits into the stepped head 131 and thus passes simultaneously against both members 130 and 150.

The coil spring 185 is applied on one side against the plate 190 and on the other side against a base plate 195 angularly projecting from an ejector 200. This lastnamed plate may be provided with a central core 196 for guiding the coil spring.

The ejector 200 is provided for the purpose of ejecting the cartridge after exploding the same. It cooperates in the well known manner with an extractor member 201 (see FIGURE 6) which is identical with similar members arranged in many types of rifle which consists simply in an elastic small hook-shaped spring finger or tooth engaging the groove of the cartridge near the bottom thereof as soon as the cartridge is in its firing position. This member 201 is held on the breech bolt and goes automatically into action, retaining the cartridge in its place after the same has been booked The shape and operation need not be described as it is a standard element of many types of rifles.

The ejector200 consists of a longitudinally extending arm with a lateral stepped portion hugging the box magazine. Its active part consists in the ejection tongue 199 projecting forwardly and ending in a vertical ejector surface 203 (if the barrel axis is considered as being held in a horizontal position). The ejector tongue projects above the ejector arm so that its active end 203 will impinge on the lower half of the cartridge which is held in its position by the. extractor 201 at a point which is diametrically opposite to that at which the extractor 201 is applied. Both the ejector and the extractor preferably engage the cartridge in a position which is angularly displaced with respect to the median plane of symmetry passing through the barrel axis. They are, for instance, applied on points which are at an angular distance of about 45 from the main plane of symmetry.

The active edge 2030f the ejector strikes the cartridge when the barrel is moved into its forward position. The cartridge is then thrown out through the loading and ejector opening by virtue of the impulse it receives from the ejector.

As above stated, the ejector 200 has an angularly projecting plate 195 against which a spring 185 is applied. The spring 185 is applied on one side against the ejector plate 195 but is. also applied against the angularly projecting plate 191 of the member 190 which in its turn is applied against the heads of the sear arm and the trigger arm. The spring 185 thus operates in three ways, holding not only the sear arm and trigger arm, but also the ejector. under spring pressure.

As seen in FIGURES 4, 5 and 7, the ejector is operated by the forward movement of the barrel. However, the

forward movement of the barrel must have progressed already to a certain extent when the ejector 200 strikes the cartridge, in order that the loading and ejector opening may have been opened sufliciently to permit the cartridge to be thrown out. Thus, the first part of the barrel movement does not operate the ejector. The ejector 200 is operated by an upstanding lug 202 Which reaches into a groove 212 of the barrel. This groove (FIGURE 14) must be arranged laterally of the median plane of the rifle in view of the fact that also the ejector 200 is arranged in a lateral position. The lug 202 first slides in this groove when the barrel is moved forwardly until the groove comes to an end. Then the ejector is moved forward against the tension of the spring 185 and ejects the cartridge which is held on the diametrically opposite side by the extractor 201. The spring 185 is compressed during this forward movement of the ejector; the ejector is returned by the spring when the barrel is again drawn rearwardly by the operator.

The operation of the rifle will be readily understood from the foregoing description.

It may first be assumed that the butt section is firmly locked by means of its groove 35 and the arcuate ridge or ledge 36 to the breech bolt and barrel section. The parts are then in the position shown in FIGURE 7, except that the barrel is shown in thisfigure as being moved rearwardly about half way. In order to load the rifle, the cover plate 48 is dropped by moving the spring 47 out of engagement with the cover plate and the box magazine 44 is inserted. In the first insertion of course the box magazine may be loaded, but after the cartridges in the box magazine have been fired, the magazine may be loaded again through the loading and ejecting opening after the barrel has been pushed forward by means of the handle 80 and 81. As has been explained, the topmost cartridge is held on one side by the finger on spring 53 and is under spring pressure from below. The topmost cartridge is always in the same position with the cartridge about flush with the elevated portion of the box magazine 55 whatever the number of cartridges in the box magazine. I

In order to bring the rifle into position for firing, the operator pulls back the barrel 22 by means of handle 80 and ball 81, pulling the handle into its rearmost position and then rotating it downwardly through an angle. of about 100. Thebarrel thus moves within the receiver and during this operation the barrel first slides along the upper edge 55 of the box magazine 44, taking up the top cartridge, the tip of which projects above the more depressed portion 55. The tip of the cartridge is then directed by means of the incline 99 towards the space 85 and upon rearward movement of the barrel the cartridge enters the space 85 and occupies the position which is, for instance, shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

As long as the box magazine 44 is loaded, one cartridge is always held in this position between spring pressure from below and the finger-like end of spring 53.

Upon continued rearward movement of the barrel performed by the operator of the rifle, it will be seen that a further rearward movement after picking up the cartridge will result in depressing the magazine 44 as the barrel slides over the incline, bringing the magazine into the position which is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

Towards the end of the rearward movement of the barrel, the locking ribs 87, 88, 90, 91 on the barrel have reached positions in which these ribs are aligned with the spaces between the ribs 93 and 94 and between 94 and the end surface of the bracket member 24, and upon rotation of the handle 80 which follows, the ribs on the barrel engage the ribs on the breech bolt and on the receiver, so that the barrel is firmly locked in the position in which it is ready for firing. In this position, it will be clear from FIGURES 4 and 5 that the breech bolt closes the breech opening of the barrel with a cartridge held therein. With the locking of the breech bolt, it will be clear that also the extractor 201 snaps into its position in which it holds and engages the groove near the bottom of the cartridge.

The rifle can be carried when the barrel is in this position because an accidental movement of the trigger would not be sufficient to produce firing of the rifle which can only take place after two coordinated movements have been performed.

When sighting the target and making the rifle ready for firing, the mechanism must first be cocked, which is done by inserting the thumb into the opening 126 between the butt section and the pistol grip and firmly gripping the auxiliary butt portion or pistol butt 125. When the fingers close around the pistol grip and are inserted into the grooves 127 and pull back the cocking piece 122, the rifle is made ready for firing by the trigger. The pulling back of the cocking piece 122 operates the sear and trigger mechanism, in the first place operating the sear arm which is pushed back against the pressure of the spring 185, thus bringing the sear arm into the position which is shown in FIGURE 4.

The sear arm and the trigger arm both move together so that the position of the sear members is not changed. This common movement of the sear arm and the trigger arm is obtained by means of the coupling element 190.

During this movement of the trigger arm and sear arm, the stop or nose member 180 of the sear member 175 pushes the firing pin plunger rearwardly by engaging the nose against which the stop 180 is applied. The firing pin is thus under tension and all parts are now ready for firing,

When the trigger is now pulled, the trigger arm moves rearwardly relative to'the sear arm. This trips the two sear members and the arm 174 of the former is now moved downwardly and this, by means of the knee joint 176, 177, also trips the other sear member 175. This movement is performed by means of the trigger arm head 163 which pushes the sear member 170 to the left in FIGURE 5. This movement of the sear member 170 entails a movement of the sear member 175 which moves the stop out of engagement with nose 120, and thus releases the firing pin which will snap forward through the influence of the compressed springs 108 and 109 and which will push the firing pin 105 into the cartridge. This movement of the firing pin is cushioned by spring 110 in the central cavity of the breech bolt.

The cartridge is exploded upon this movement of the firing pin.

The release of the trigger brings the firing pin and the trigger arm back into its original position which is shown in FIGURE 7, if the grip around the cocking piece 122 is released after the shot. The sear and trigger arms are both moved back by the spring and the operator of the rifle has now to move the barrel again forwardly in order to eject the spent cartridge. In order to do so, the handle 80 is seized and has first to be turned around and then to be moved forwardly, bringing the parts to the position shown in FIGURE 7. It is during this movement that the ejector is operated as above described.

The next movement of the operator will again be the drawing back of the barrel in order to bring another cartridge into the correct position for firing.

For the purpose of cleaning and inspecting or repairing the rifle, the butt section 26 may be disengaged from the barrel and receiver section and swung around the pivot 30. It will be noted that the entire trigger mechanism as well as the ejector mechanism is carried by the butt section 26 which is swung around the pivot. The

upper side of the entire mechanism is thus accessible. In order to unhinge the butt section with the least possible effort, it is only necessary to open the flap 42 of the stock plate, which may be done by means of a fingernail, and to insert a finger into the window 41 which is now open, and to turn the stock plate around. On

11 account of the great arcuate length of the groove 35 and the engaging ledge 36, there is no necessity for locking this part specially as it cannot disengage itself accidentally by any sudden vibratory movement.

As already mentioned, a rifle of this type is the shortest type of hunting rifle with a barrel of proper length which has been so far constructed. The shortening of the length of the rifle is essentially due to the full utilization of the entire length which also includes the stock and especially the butt section, the mechanism and stock being practically coextensive.

In addition to these advantages, the utilization of the butt for an arrangement in which the parts of the trigger mechanism are contained in a member which can be swung down must be counted also as a major advantage, the entire mechanism being divided into two parts, one of which contains the firing pin assembly and the receiver and barrel section, while all other parts of the mechanism are contained in the hinged butt section.

It will also be noted that the rifle has a'number of safety features which do not permit firing unless the barrel has been safely locked. Practically, therefore, the incomplete or wrong handling of the rifle is exclude by the construction described.

Finally, a main advantage resides in the fact that the cocking of the trigger is obtained neither by locking of the barrel nor by a special trigger, but is obtained in a special way different from the method hitherto used by using a sear and trigger mechanism which is partly operated by some fingers of the hand While the trigger mechanism itself is operated by another finger of the same hand. Thus, by means of the auxiliary or pistol butt and by means of this particular operation of the mechanism, a perfectly safe and easily operated cocking and triggering is obtained.

It will be clear that many details of the mechanism may be changed and modified by an expert skilled in this art without in any way departing from the, essence of the invention which is defined in the annexed claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows: i

1. A firearm comprising in combination a stock, a receiver fixed to the stock, a barrel longitudinally movable within the receiver into a rear firing and into a loading position in which the barrel has been moved forwardly, a breech bolt closing the barrel, means on said barrel and breech bolt for locking said barrel and said breech bolt in the rear firing position of the barrel, said means being operative after the barrel has been moved to the rear by rotational movement of the barrel, said breech bolt including a bracket member carrying a locking nut, a firing pin assembly longitudinally slidably mounted in the breech bolt and bracket member, said firing pin assembly including a tension spring and a nosepiece projecting downwardly, sear and trigger means mounted entirely within the stock, and a cocking member including a movable stop applied against the nosepiece of the firing pin assembly for first bringing the firing pin assembly into its position in which it is ready for firing whereby the firing pin assembly may then he released, said sear and trigger means comprising a trigger, a trigger arm connected therewith for movement longitudinally upon pulling of the trigger, a sear arm connected with the cocking member, movable relatively to and with the trigger arm, respectively, sear members pivotally connected with the trigger arm and the sear arm, respectively, one of said sear members carrying the stop applied against the nose piece of the firing pin assembly, the sear arm being operated by the operation of the cocking member before the pulling of the trigger, the operation of the cocking member moving the sear arm and the trigger arm rearwardly, with the stop on the sear member pushing back the nose piece of the firing pin assembly during such movement to bring it into firing position, the operation of the trigger and trigger arm producing a relative movement of the trigger arm relatively to the sear arm, tilting the pivotally connected sear members and withdrawing, the stop from engagement with the nose piece of the firing pin assembly, thus firing the firearm.

2. A firearm as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of the sear members is a bellcrank lever rockable around a pivot held in the sear arm, the othersear member being a lever with two lever arms, one of which is pivotally connected with the trigger arm, the other lever arm carrying a knee joint member, engaging a corresponding knee joint member onsaid one sear member, the said other sear memberbeing pivoted to the sear arm and moved with the latter, one of said sear members being under spring pressure in order to return the sear members after being moved by the trigger arm.

, 3. A firearm as claimed in claim 1 wherein a secondary pistol butt is provided carrying a cocking piece slidable within it and to be gripped by the hand of the operator, said cocking piece being arranged behind the trigger and gripped and moved by those fingersof the hand of the operator which are not used for pulling the trigger, said cocking piece being pivotally attached to the sear arm.

References Cited inthefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sweden July 10, 1945 

